Rumor Has a Lot to Answer For
by MikeJaffa
Summary: Spoilers for New Mutants: Dead Souls #4. Missing tag; takes place before X-Men Gold #30. Kitty and Dani have some fun at Rahne's expense.


TITLE: Rumor Has a Lot to Answer For  
AUTHOR: MikeJaffa  
SYNOPSIS. Spoilers for New Mutants: Dead Souls #4. Missing tag; takes place before X-Men Gold #30. Kitty and Dani have some fun at Rahne's expense.  
DISCLAIMER: The New Mutants are owned by Marvel.

8

8

8

"Dani!" Kitty Pryde called. "Wait up."

Walking south on Broadway, just south of Central Park, Danielle Moonstar looked over her shoulder and saw Kitty catching up to her. "Hey, Kitty," Dani said as she slowed her pace and let Kitty catch up to her. It was a sunny afternoon in late May. "I was going to stick my head in at the school," Dani went on, "but I heard it was Bridezilla Central and thought maybe I should stay out of your way."

"Ugh!" Kitty said. "It's been a nightmare, even with this wedding planner. I don't know where my rabbi found her, but this woman is amazing and brought in this media consultant. They're coming up with things I never would have thought of even if they should be obvious: not just how many place settings or how many tables, but do we want ambulances standing by? Should we notify the Avengers..."

"How many seats at the 'handicapped' table?"

"Hey! Most people lose their powers, they're out of it, but you've kept your head in the game, even insisted on going into combat. Not many people have the stones for that. I have a lot of respect for you."

"Thanks. I guess I feel sorry for myself sometimes. And I kind of hold out the hope I'll get my powers back."

"I understand. And on that note, Tony Stark owes me some favors. Maybe he could whip up some custom gear for you?"

"I'm not sure about that, Kitty. I mean, I appreciate the offer, but I don't know if I'm ready to look like a female Iron Man."

"Word is those suits are amazing, Dani. But he could come with a custom job. At the very least, think about it. And when the X-Men and the Avengers are once again on speaking terms—which has been known to happen-it wouldn't hurt to talk to him, even if you don't do anything."

"I suppose. Thanks, Kitty."

"No problem. And now…" She screwed on a look of exaggerated concern and put her hand on Dani's shoulder. "Is there any word, Dani? Have you heard anything about my dearest darling darkchild?"

"Wh-what?"

"Haven't you heard?" Kitty said, removing her hand. "According to that media consultant I mentioned, the Internet thinks Illyana and I are lesbian lovers from way back."

Dani rolled her eyes. "And that is why I stay off social media. I'll text or Skype, but Facebook, Twitter, forget it. Doug can wallow in that cesspool all he wants, but I'm staying out of it. I'd just ignore it if I were you."

"I understand, but it still bugs me. One more thing to get stressed over." Kitty took a deep breath. "I hope this is worth it."

"Jitters?"

"Yeah. Seriously, what have you heard?"

Dani shrugged. "Illyana, Julio, and a crashing airplane disappeared last week. When they turn up, you'll know as soon as I do."

"Assuming we don't get more details from the horse's—or maybe I should say wolf's—mouth," Kitty said. They'd come to an open-air café where they saw Rahne and Tabby sitting at a table. Tabby had a drink in front of her.

Woflsbane and Boom-Boom didn't notice the other approaching women. Tabby was saying, "…can't figure you guys out. One minute you're arguing, and the next it's like you're her-"

Dani said, "Can we join you guys?"

Rahne and Tabby stood. Rahne said, "Ah, Dani, of course!" She gave her old friend a hug.

Dani scrutinized the young Scot. "You look kind of ragged, Carrot Top."

"Ah, I've just had trouble sleeping these past nights."

The women sat. Dani said, "Worried about Illyana? Yeah, it's been what, a week? Ten days?"

"Nine days," Rahne said.

"I swear she has it down to the second," Tabby said into her glass as she took a sip.

"I do not!" Rahne protested. "I expect that Illyana teleported the whole plane at the last second, but since she didn't have time to set things up properly, they could have gone a little ways forward in time because that's what usually happens when she makes a mistake. So it's a matter of time before she shows up. But as we all know, travelling via Limbo, anything can happen, so it's hard not to worry until we know everyone is safe."

Dani nodded, noting the exactitude of Rahne's analysis. "Yeah…that's probably it."

Kitty clutched her hands and said with exaggerated concern, "As long as my darling Illyana is safe in my arms again, that's all that matters."

Rahne gawked, "Wot?"

Dani said, "Oh, we were just talking. There are these idiots online who think she and 'Yana are gay."

"That's ridiculous!" Rahne snapped. "We're not gay."

That got everyone else's attention. Dani voiced it. "'We'?"

"I mean, 'she,'" Rahne said. "She's not gay."

Dani said, "You said, 'We're not gay.'"

"Well, we're not," Rahne said. "Us, as a group, we're not gay. And that includes Illyana. Neither she nor any of us here are gay. That's what I meant."

Tabby chuckled. "Now that's a slip of the tongue."

"Yeah…" Dani mused, exchanging glances with Kitty. Although Dani and Kitty had never been close, their days as teenage superheroes weren't so far behind them—and they hadn't matured so much—they were above having some fun at Rahne's expense, especially as the werewolf had walked into it with her eyes wide open. "But then again…Kitty, I'm beginning to wonder if those internet people are half right. Just…" she coughed "…barking up the wrong tree."

"Or howling at the wrong moon?" Kitty asked.

"Or that."

"Wot?" Rahne stammered. "That's ridiculous. Illyana is not gay. I know that for a fact."

Kitty said, "How would you know? I'm her best friend."

"Right," Rahne said, "so you would know. And since you don't, she's not."

"I would have said yes," Kitty said, barely concealing her delight as Rahne got flustered, "but…Dani, I don't think Illyana ever had any boyfriends. I would have let her have the room, but she never brought a guy home. When I left, I'd call Logan and he never said she brought a guy home. And she never stayed out overnight. Not once."

"Yeah," Rahne argued, "but she likes boys. She flirted with Bobby all the time."

"Yeah," Dani said, "and he was so scared of her—we all were—she was the one girl he never put the moves on. And she gave up pretty quickly when she got the point. I would even say suspiciously quickly."

"Oh, so of course, it's me?" Rahne said. "Well, Dani, you know that's not true."

"I do?"

"Yes. We had that rapport when I changed, right? If I had been in love with Illyana, you would have known."

"Maybe…but I never really pried. And you did get a little hot and bothered around her."

"Because she's a witch!" Rahne said. "A real live witch. Just as I began to think my gifts were a matter of science and not from Satan, and maybe there were no such thing as witches, we find a real, live witch kneeling in a pentagram with demons literally coming out of her eyeballs. You were there, Dani. Shook us all up. It took me a while to get used to that."

"Yes," Kitty said, "a real, live witch and a smoking hot—omigod, Dani, there might be something to this. What if that was the problem all along?"

"I met that Revered Craig a couple of times," Dani said. "He was 'demons this' and 'spawn of Satan that,' and that was for her being a mutant. He doesn't seem like the kind of guy who would preach tolerance for gay people. And if Rahne felt attracted to Illyana…" she trailed off.

Rahne rolled her eyes. "Jesus, Marry, and Joseph," she grumbled.

Kitty said, "And Belasco was literally out of the middle ages—13th century, 15th century, something like that. Not exactly a period known for advances in gay rights. And even though he was a demon and a creep, he might have dropped hints that loving another girl is something even a darkchild just doesn't do."

"If I was a demon sorceress," Dani mused, "and I was in the closet, and I wanted a closeted girlfriend who would absolutely, positively never ever blab, a high-strung little bible thumper would be the perfect choice. 'She's evil!'" Dani said, imitating Rahne's brogue. "'She's a demon! Suffer not a witch to live!' Perfect cover."

"And if I had a pocket dimension where time was all screwy," Kitty said, "my woman and I could steal away anytime we wanted and be back without anyone knowing we were gone."

"And either stay for a day or two," Dani said, "or I could cast a spell erasing all traces of any…encounters." She waved her arms: "Abracadabra! Instant hickey remover."

"Wot!?" Rahne yelped. "Her and me in Limbo? You're daft. I hated that place, right from the first time she dragged me there for that exorcism. Remember, Dani?"

"Yeah, Rahne," Dani said, "you were really upset. I thought you were going to leave the school. But you didn't. In fact, after that, you never called her a witch again. What was that all about? And then there was…." She snapped her fingers. "That dress! Remember the slumber party? You heard about this, right, Kitty? That's when Warlock arrived. Illyana and some of the towny girls ganged up on Rahne and got her all done up in a dress with makeup. She was gorgeous! Sam didn't recognize her. Boy, was Rahne pissed off about that! But she was in a red dress with a white flower in her hair. And I remember thinking, 'That almost looks like a wedding dress.'"

"'Twas supposed to be a fairy princess," Rahne harrumphed, "or so she said."

"Yes, she would say," Dani said. "And then after Doug died, there was at least one time when you turned into a wolf and lay down with your head on Illyana's lap. And she petted you! That's a very public display of affection. Tell me I'm wrong."

Kitty said, "You guys don't talk for years after she comes back, never even bump into each other by accident and have coffee—at least, not as far as I know-and then when she asks you to be on her team with her as the leader, you accept? Just like that?" –she snapped her fingers— "How does that happen?"

"Shan pays better than being the deacon of a church," Rahne said, less and less amused all the time.

"They have a point," Tabby interjected. She turned to the other girls and explained, "I was just saying that one minute, Rahne is questioning Illyana's judgment, then the next they're on the same wavelength. They're almost fighting like a couple. I'm waiting for them to finish each other's sentences."

Rahne said, "Look. Illyana is an old, dear friend, and we went through a lot together when we were younger—as you know, Dani, because you were there through all of it-so of course I care for her, and yes, I worry about her. I've learned to trust her judgment in fights, so I thought I could work with her being our team's leader. But she is—by her own admission—a soulless demon sorceress, so she'll make some calls I don't agree with. And since she put Guido, the man who killed my son, on the same team as me, it's only natural to wonder how she could be so insensitive and if she really cares about me."

Dani's eyes widened. "Cares about *you*? You said it, not me!"

Rahne said, "Oh for—Dani—Doug? Hrimhari? Both very male?"

Tabby offered, "Well, if you were bi, you could be with Illyana and still have boyfriends."

Rahne started to get up. "Ok, that's it-"

Tabby caught Rhane's sleeve and tugged. "Oh, sit down!"

Rahne sat.

"They're just being idiots," Tabby said. "Stop taking it so seriously." She turned to the other women. "And you two, grow up. This isn't-" Her phone chimed. Tabby looked at it and smiled. "There." She showed it to the others: a text message with a picture of Illyana and Julio, a passenger plane—apparently floating on water—and its passengers behind them.

A 'SHRAK!' and a flash announced Illyana and Julio's appearance next to the table. (This being New York, no one passing by on the street paid any attention to it, and no one had paid attention to the conversation.)

Rahne jumped out of her chair and hugged Julio. "It's good to see you two again!" She released Julio and hugged Illyana. "I was so worried, I had trouble sleeping." She pulled away from Illyana. "I don't like it when you cut it so close."

"I didn't exactly have a choice, Rahne. You know how those situations go."

"I know."

"In any case," Illyana said, "Shan wants to see us."

"So soon?" Rahne asked. "What about the passengers?"

"What do you mean?" Illyana looked at Tabby's phone and scowled. "Oh, crap. I drifted back in time a little."

Kitty said, "You and Rahne both look done in. Why don't you and Rahne go to Limbo and…" She cleared her throat. "…take a nap? Or something."

"Good idea," Illyana said. "Rahne?"

Rahne nodded and stood next to Illyana. They vanished into a stepping disk. A second later, they reappeared. Their appearance and dress were exactly the same as when they had left, but they looked relaxed and refreshed.

Dani arched her eyebrows and said, "Was it good for you? Your rest, I mean."

Illyana frowned at Dani. "What?"

Rahne snorted, "Oh, this. I'll explain later. We'd best get going. Tabby?"

Tabby downed the last of her drink and stood next to her teammates. All three women vanished into a stepping disk.

Dani said, "Kitty…I was kidding around, but…they're not…I mean, Illyana and Rahne, they're not really…are they?"

Kitty shrugged. "Either they are," she said, "or they're just good friends, but they're both oblivious to how things look. And short of someone catching them in the act, I don't know if we'll ever know for sure."

THE END


End file.
